Challenges

Disclosure

In accordance with FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, A Chick Who Reads would like to let everyone know that books featured on this blog were either provided by the publisher or author or were purchased by A Chick Who Reads. The books received by A Chick Who Reads from publishers and authors were provided for review and no payment was received by me and did not influence my opinion of the material.

Computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson doesn’t envision finding either when she steps outside to investigate the frenzied yipping coming from her own backyard. After all, she lives in Vista Beach, a quiet California beach community where violent crime is rare and murder even rarer.

Suspicion falls on Rory when the body buried in her flowerbed turns out to be someone she knows—her tole painting teacher, Hester Bouquet. Just two weekends before, Rory attended one of Hester’s weekend painting seminars, an unpleasant experience she vowed never to repeat. As evidence piles up against Rory, she embarks on a quest to identify the killer and clear her name. Can Rory unearth the truth before she encounters her own brush with death?

Review: This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. I have to say, if its a Henery Press book, it is going to be good, and this book is no exception.

I like that it doesn't fit the traditional cozy mold. The murder occurred in the first pages, rather than after a few chapters. I also liked that Rory's hobby that isn't really the norm. I had to look up tole painting to figure out what it actually was. Very cool.

Rory is a bit hard to deal with, because she does some pretty stupid things when it comes to keeping the police in the loop. It almost seems like she wants to be arrested, but at the same time, you like her and feel sorry for her.

There is one thing that bugged me about this book, and that's the huge amount of back story attached to Rory. It felt like there should have been a book before this one, to explain a little more about her life.

The novel is short-ish and very fast paced. Its a fun read and a great start to a new series

Rating: 5 flowers

About This Author

Sybil Johnson’s love affair with reading began in kindergarten with “The Three Little Pigs.” Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in Mysterical-E and Spinetingler Magazine, among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family.